Browns: Jason Campbell will start at quarterback against Patriots

Jason Campbell will start at quarterback for the Browns on Sunday against New England.

Alex Tanney can save his best throws for another blind pass into a garbage can, because he won’t be starting for the Browns on Sunday.
Jason Campbell is ready to go.
Campbell on Friday received clearance from an independent neurologist to play in games again 12 days after being concussed in a game against the Steelers.
At the conclusion of practice Friday, Coach Rob Chudzinski was uncertain which quarterback would back up Campbell — Tanney or six-year veteran Caleb Hanie — but he knows Campbell will start against the Patriots on Sunday, and that’s more than he knew on Thursday.
“We’re excited about that, obviously, and getting two days (practice) in,” Chudzinski said. “He’s very sharp in those two days of practice. We’re looking forward to getting him back out on the field.”
Campbell met with reporters after practice and said he knew on Wednesday he would be ready; he just needed the OK from doctors. He said he experienced headaches, dizziness and was bothered by light glare while recovering.
The time off also gave his tender ribs time to heal. Campbell was injured playing the Ravens on Nov. 3. He played with pain against the Bengals on Nov. 17 and then the rib injury was aggravated in the Pittsburgh game before he was concussed.
“It’s been a rollercoaster season,” Campbell said. “There have been some highs, and there have been some lows. You start off good and then a rib injury and you kind of focus on recovering from that and you try to get yourself back into a rhythm in the Pittsburgh game and then you’re sidelined again with a concussion.
“Hopefully, these next four weeks we can focus and especially myself just focus on growing and trying to get better. I’m healthy now. Everything is healthy, and this is probably the best I’ve felt since I got the chance to play.”
What a place to make his return.
The Patriots (9-3) are 6-0 at home. Campbell is 1-3 as a starter with the Browns. They have lost six of seven games.
“It’s been a challenge each and every week,” Campbell said. “You play against some of the best defense, and now you’re going against one of the premier teams in the league and a Hall of Fame quarterback, so it doesn’t get any easier. You’ve just got to keep plugging and keep pressing and just prepare ourselves to go out there and give our best.”
Campbell joked D’Qwell Jackson (30) is happy he’s back because now Jackson won’t be the oldest player on the field; Campbell is 31. Running back Willis McGahee is 32.
Age aside, the players are happy Campbell is healthy and happy he’ll be playing. Hanie is happy for Campbell, too, but he was looking forward to playing and possibly starting. The six-year veteran started four games with the Bears in 2011 and hasn’t been on the field for a regular-season game since then. He has appeared in 10 NFL games.
“I don’t know if I’d say disappointed, but I’m always wanting another opportunity,” Hanie said. “They don’t come along too often, so when they do, you have to take advantage of them.
“It still might come along at some point. I was hoping to get in there and play. I’ll look at it in an optimistic way. I’ll get another chance to prepare next week.”
There is no guarantee Campbell will make it through four quarters, so Hanie and Tanney must be prepared.
This is the fifth quarterback change for Chudzinski this season. Brandon Weeden (ruled out for Sunday with a concussion) started the season. The first change was made in the third game when Brian Hoyer replaced injured Weeden (thumb). Hoyer made three starts, was injured and replaced by Weeden. Weeden made two starts, was benched and replaced by Campbell. Campbell made four starts, was concussed and replaced by Weeden. Weeden made one start, was concussed and now Campbell is back in the saddle.
“There are a lot of firsts this year for a lot of us,” offensive coordinator Norv Turner said. “When you really think about it, obviously, three guys have played, but we’ve had six different games where we’ve had a different starter, and that’s a challenge. It’s not as hard on the coaches as it is on the players.
“Sometimes in a critical situation, there’s a false start or something doesn’t come up as clean as you’d like, and that’s why you have one guy and you teach him how to play and everyone gets use to him and everyone gets on the same page. I think our players have handled it well, but it is a challenge.”
Campbell has completed 87 of 153 passes for 933 yards. He has thrown six touchdown passes and three interceptions. All three interceptions were thrown in the 41-20 loss to the Bengals.Surgery for Bryant
Defensive end Desmond Bryant successfully underwent a cardiac ablation Friday to correct his irregular heartbeat, the Browns reported. A cardiac ablation, according to dictionary.com, is “a procedure performed by a cardiologist, a doctor who specializes in heart problems. It involves threading catheters (long, flexible wires) through a blood vessel and into your heart. Using electrodes, the cardiologist delivers a safe electrical pulse to your heart to correct an irregular heartbeat.”
The Browns expect Bryant to make a complete recovery.
Chudzinski said Billy Winn, Armonty Bryant and John Hughes will rotate in Desmond Bryant’s spot.Injury report
Browns: Weeden (concussion) is out. Linebacker Tank Carder (shoulder), linebacker Craig Robertson (knee) and tight end MarQueis Gray (hamstring) are questionable.
Patriots: Tackle Marcus Cannon (ankle) and wide receiver Aaron Gibson (foot) are out.Taylor fined
Nose tackle Phil Taylor was fined $7,875 for grabbing the facemask of Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew last week.